A Stylish and Elegant Wedding Brunch in Santa Barbara

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Location: Santa Barbara, California, USA
Setting: Resort, Garden
Wedding season: Spring
The number of guests: 60
How long did the couple plan the event: 10 months
Wedding theme/style: Elegant, contemporary, chic, abundant, sophisticated.

Kelly and Aaron first met in Dallas, Texas at an introduction for a company Aaron co-founded. The day they met, they both felt an incredible connection – but it wouldn’t be until years later that they went on their first date. Kelly and Aaron connected over their shared values, ambition, and love of fitness, and – most importantly – taking the best care possible of their friends and family. Kelly is the highest-performing female real estate agent in her area, and Aaron is one of the top builders in the industry; creating luxury custom homes for the likes of A-list celebrities! The couple resides in Park City, Utah.

Aaron proposed in Dallas, during a mutual friend’s wedding weekend; it was the perfect location because all of Kelly’s friends lived there at the time. Aaron planned to propose on the hotel’s incredible rooftop the night after the wedding, but he was so nervous that he proposed to her the moment she woke up! Kelly was completely over the moon to say yes to the man she’d seen herself with since the moment they met years before.

Kelly and Aaron’s wedding was so unequivocally them. The couple cherishes their friends and family, and as such, every detail of the day was thoughtfully considered to provide a fantastic guest experience to honor those who supported their journey over the last 10 years.

The couple’s wedding was postponed twice due to Covid. Once the right time came, they knew they wanted to host their nuptials at El Encanto in Santa Barbara, submerged in the lush hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Avid enjoyers of Sunday morning, this is where their wedding tagline, “Brunch in the Hills,” was born.

Santa Barbara holds a special place in their hearts as one of their favorite getaways. They love the city’s laid-back feel, fantastic restaurants, charming architecture, and unique districts all close to the water; their wedding weekend introduced their guests to the places in Santa Barbara they loved most.

Kelly spent her wedding morning surrounded by her closest family and best friends. The ladies enjoyed a beautiful El Encanto breakfast spread, champagne, and cinnamon rolls (Kelly’s mother’s favorite), while they listened to 90s pop throwbacks and laughed together all morning.

The bride wore a striking strapless Berta gown with exposed boning details. Kelly completed her ensemble with exquisite Jimmy Choo shoes adorned with sparkling crystals, adding a touch of glamour to her look. She wore her hair down with curls, in a sleek style to contrast the femininity of her gown. Makeup was expertly natural, used only to enhance her natural beauty.

A heartfelt moment of the morning was Kelly’s “first look” with her father —a moment of genuine happiness and love. The couple’s photographer, Twah Dougherty beautifully captured these subtle and emotional moments.

Aaron’s wedding morning brimmed with the support of his son and best friends. He was anxious to see the final wedding design they’d worked so hard on and made the production teams laugh when he tried to sneak a peek prior to the ceremony.

Aaron looked stylish and elegant in a custom-tailored Belvest suit with Christian Louboutin shoes and Tom Ford sunglasses- true to form.

At El Encanto, the ceremony took place in a lush garden where the couple walked down the aisle on a bridge over the iconic Lily Pond. Kelly was excited to embellish the Lily Pond with abundant white florals, a mirrored aisle, and hanging crystals.

During the wedding ceremony, the bride was escorted down the aisle by her father, while Aaron looked at Kelly with love and adoration as she approached him. The touching moments that took place as the couple exchanged their vows left their guests deeply moved.

After the ceremony, family and friends had the opportunity to capture moments with the newlyweds. The talented photographer, Twah Dougherty, captured the beauty of the ceremony at every tender moment and curated timeless photographs with Kelly and Aaron’s family.

Twah Dougherty also shot beautiful portraits of the couple, with each photo reflecting their laughter and love. Each snapshot feels alive, as Twah, a true artist, captured every emotion through her lens, turning each moment into a beautiful memory.

Kelly adores Ford Broncos. As a gift to Kelly, Aaron had a vintage Bronco completely refurbished which was then delivered to the venue from Utah by one of their closest friends. When they arrived at El Encanto, the Bronco was waiting for her at the entrance to the hotel with a custom license plate. It was the most amazing surprise to witness!

After the ceremony, the guests and newlyweds gathered during the cocktail hour. Kelly and Aaron had the chance to connect with each guest, receiving congratulations and enjoying the incredible view of Santa Barbara from the second story of the El Encanto hotel. Accompanied by the sounds of live guitar music, guests enjoyed fun conversation, champagne, and cocktails. The stylish atmosphere and decor, featuring white tones, infused the moment with an air of elegance.

The couple sought a stylishly elegant brunch affair, set in the rolling hills of Santa Barbara. The contemporary, fresh design blended with the old world charm of El Encanto to create a high energy, sophisticated bash. Their spring wedding incorporated a clean color palette of white, creams, and dove gray, offset with accents of marble and gold. Set against the backdrop of the Lily Pond and gardens, this black-tie event exuded a rich, modern elegance. A sleekly set table was lined with abundant floating white florals for the plated brunch.

The welcome bags contained special touches such as local snacks from the popular Helena Avenue Bakery, fun Brunch in the Hills hats (the same hats Aaron loves to wear everyday), and a beverage customized to each guest!

During the reception, the guests were surprised with an incredible caviar bar complete with all of the classic accouterments.

The arrival of the newlyweds at the wedding reception was marked by their first dance. Accompanied by live music, the couple smiled and laughed as Aaron led Kelly across the dance floor; all of their guests adored this moment.

The couple loves to enjoy brunch experiences with friends and family. The idea of a brunch wedding was so fun, perfect, and unique to them. Who says weddings have to be a nighttime affair? The joyful conversation, clinking of glasses, and beautifully plated food created the perfect atmosphere for Kelly and Aaron’s reception. Guests delivered congratulatory speeches to the couple, which brought tears of joy and laughter.

A beautiful and traditional moment unfolded with the cutting of the wedding cake. The classic three-tiered white wedding cake, adorned with white petals, was beautifully constructed and perfectly complemented the overall wedding design.

The father-daughter dance, perhaps one of the most touching moments at the wedding, evoked joyful tears and highlighted their close bond and love.

A special surprise to Aaron was a “groom’s cake” specially crafted for him. The cake, which mirrored his Centurion speedboat that they love, was impeccably designed and brought such a smile to Aaron’s face.

The wedding brunch seamlessly transitioned into a celebration with dancing and beautiful lounge vignettes for the guests to enjoy. The guests had the best time taking turns in the middle of the dancefloor, and the reception ended with the entire group singing the band’s final songs and posing for photos all together.

The wedding exit of the bride and groom was the culmination of this beautiful day. Kelly and Aaron walked through a tunnel formed by their guests, showered with white rose petals, creating a magical and memorable moment.

Advice from the couple:

• Your wedding is just one day, which is why it’s so important to enjoy and savor the planning process. We loved working with our planning team, Emily Coyne Events, who took care of all the details so we could be guests at our party. The small details like flowers and napkins won’t matter – but you’ll never forget how you felt that day. We looked forward to our weekly planning meetings and made a date night out of them! We didn’t want a traditional wedding. We tried to throw a fantastic party for everyone we loved. Our planner meticulously took care of all the details, which allowed us to host a beautiful event and truly enjoy our day.